Mold: A Bio-Hazard 101
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Adverse health effects will occur when a building becomes water damaged, even after drying. A terrarium effect is often caused by waters effect on microscopic (0.1 micron) mold spores that exist. Once wet the spores form colonies which can produce billions of additional spores which eventually will come to surface on upholstery and carpets. At this point the biological populations (i.e. molds, bacteria, dust mites) must be stabilized to prevent further infection of other areas. The longer mold populations are allowed to thrive, allowing spores to become airborne, the higher the possibility for cross contamination will be. The higher the concentration of mold, the more at risk you are to develop a serious infection or disease. Many of which start as sneezing, eye irritation, skin rashes, breathing difficulty, and continue to escalate in severity. The symptoms worsen and in many cases bring about death.
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| Wet carpet padding can cause severe health complications over time. |
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Understanding mold and its insidious relationship with airborne bio-toxins has become mandatory. There are species of mold that are considered to be non-pathogenic (harmless to humans). Although they are not directly harmful, their presence allows harmful species of mold to grow faster. Once provided essential nutrition, toxic species are able to produce billions of airborne spores (seeds). Each individual's health is threatened by toxic mold. Once the immune system becomes overloaded it can no longer defend a body from other intrusive infections.
The severity of mold related illness depends on various factors: the patients’ health history, anti-biotic dosage, the species of bio-organisms, exposure dosage (time spent in a Toxic area), and the strength of the immune-system prior to infection (by mold). The infections may start as minor allergies and irritations, later causing cold or flu-like symptoms, asthma, headaches, sinus, skin, eye, ear, and respiratory infections.
Prolonged exposure to the toxins, coupled with anti-biotic dosages, will result in chronic illness. Epstein-Barr Virus, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS), Neurological Disorders, and Learning Disabilities are just a few unhealthy conditions that will result due to the effects of toxic mold exposure.
To provide a healthy environment, the goal is to thoroughly disinfect all sources of contamination. By doing this you will lessen the potential and severity of any health complications and costly health related litigations. A partially or poorly corrected indoor contamination is a time bomb eventually causing sickness and death.
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